prevalence of toothache and associated factors: a population-based study in southeast iran

introduction : this study was carried out to estimate toothache prevalence among adult residents in kerman. materials and methods: this cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted among individuals aged over 18 years ( n =1800). the relevant data on the prevalence of toothache and associated factors were collected by interviewing the individuals in their homes and filling out a questionnaire designed by the examiners. prevalence of toothache and associated factors that patients recalled previous to their interview were analyzed by chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. results: nine hundred ninety-one individuals (55.1%) reported toothache during the 6 months before the interview. the participants who flossed daily, had regular dental visits, and had higher education showed a significantly lower prevalence of toothache ( p <0.05), whereas regular tooth brushing and economic level of residency had no significant effect on the prevalence of toothache. individuals between the ages of 26 and 45 [odds ratio (or)=2.0], with a family size of more than 4 (or=1.5), not using dental floss (or=1.5), or having a mental or psychological illness (or=1.5) were more likely to have a history of toothache. conclusion: high prevalence of toothache (more than half) among residents of kerman shows a serious and major public health problem. toothache prevalence in middle aged adults, lower education, bigger family size, lower dental hygiene habit and/or those having mental or psychological illness were more common in the city of kerman.